This invention provides hardenable compositions useful as construction media for a wide range of applications. Particular utility is found in the dental and medical arts where such compositions are highly suitable for the formation and construction of denture base, denture baseplates, denture liners, denture repair, custom trays, veneering for crowns and bridgework, artificial teeth, veneers and repair for natural teeth, and tooth restorative fillings.
More particularly, the invention relates to polymeric compositions comprising one or more multifunctional crosslinking oligomers capable of addition polymerization, rubber-modified polymer, and optionally, inorganic filler, crosslinked polymers swellable in the oligomers and monofunctional monomers which form composite blends. The blends are tractable and are capable of being formed or molded and caused to polymerize to provide articles possessing superior physical and physiochemical properties including high impact strength and desirable elastic moduli.
This invention is also directed to methods for forming tractable, polymerizable blends through careful control of blending conditions including temperature, time, and effective pressure.